Where in the World Have I been?-Literally

I need to apologize for my lack of posts during the last two months. This semester has been rather chaotic between traveling every weekend and trying to fit in exams and papers. Finding time to blog about all of my activities has been a bit of a challenge. I am going to attempt to recap everything that has gone on during the last few months. There is a lot of things to cover so I will do my best not to forget anything.
AM

Doolin and Dublin, Ireland

After completing my first major British Studies exam on September 29th, I ventured to Ireland for a long and adventurous weekend. I left Harlaxton on a coach around 8 p.m. and journeyed about 5 or so hours to Wales. Once in Wales, our coach drove on to a ferry that would take us across the Irish Sea. The ferry was quite nice and was dotted with couches all over that allowed passengers to have a snooze during the trip. Because everyone was so exhausted from the big exam and the fact that it was 2 a.m. when the ferry left, we all crashed shortly after boarding. After about 3 hours we had finally arrived in Dublin shortly before 6 a.m. The group was a bit of a mess from the improper sleeping conditions, but excited to explore Ireland nonetheless. The first stop on our journey was breakfast before making the long trek from the east coast all the way the the beautiful west coast of Ireland. Halfway through the long drive we stopped at the historic monastery site of Clonmacnoise. This is no longer a working monastery, but is adorned with the remains of buildings and countless graves. It was such a clear day and the perfect morning to visit this historic site. We walked around for a while looking at all of the remains and then made our way to visit some very sweet looking cows. I have never seen any other cows that looked the way the Irish cows did. They were so cute and reminded me of dogs. I wanted to pet one of them but was afraid that it may bite me. After this stop halfway through Ireland, we continued on to the tiny west coast town of Doolin. This town is situated right on the Atlantic ocean and in a valley of some very large cliffs. Once we had dropped off our stuff at our very small hostel we headed to the unbelievable Cliffs of Moher. These cliffs are very large and lined up in a row of four. Looking out at the ocean from the cliffs seems as though you can see forever. It wad very windy and cold on top of the cliffs, but the views were definitely worth the weather. Day two in Doolin very adventurous to say the least. We had all planned to take a boat out to the Aran Islands to explore for the day. Unfortunately, this day was very windy and the seas were too rough to visit the islands. We all had to scramble to change our plans and find something else to do. We went to the beach while we decided on a plan. After enjoying the fresh air from the sea we decided that we would all go horseback riding. Once the hostel owner had called and arranged for the horse owner to pick us up, he mentioned to us that this guy was the town matchmaker and quite famous around the area. It was a bit of a journey to the horse farm. Lots of us were stuffed into this little tiny car while the Irish man sang Irish songs to us. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into or if what we were doing was even safe, but we continued on to see where this journey would lead us. Once we arrived at this man's house and farm we all suited up and picked horses. All of the horses had silly American actor names, mine being George Clooney, or so they said. The horse adventure turned to be a wonderful one and was one of the best parts of the trip. The rest of my time in Doolin was spent by the ocean exploring the Burren, a large rock formation left by the glacier. The large cliffs and ocean in Doolin were so much fun and the perfect way to relax after such a big exam. It really felt like I was standing on the edge of the world sometimes because the giant rock cliffs would end and all you could see beyond that was water. I hope to be able to go back to Doolin one day because it was so awesome. My third day in Ireland was spent in the capital city of Dublin. I spend the entire day in Dublin at the Guinness Storehouse taking a tour of the brewery. There was so much to see and explore that it took about four hours for the tour. At the end of my Guinness trip I learned how to "pull the perfect pint". I had no idea that there was a special technique for the perfect pint of Guinness, but it really is a very particular method. I was so proud of my accomplishment and realized that Guinness isn't all that bad. The next morning I got back on the ferry and journeyed back across the sea to Wales, where I began the long trip back to Harlaxton. I really enjoyed Ireland and wish that I had more time to spend there.
More to come!
AM

21st Birthday and a Day in Lincoln

Hello Everyone! Thank you all for the overwhelming amount of birthday cards! It was so great to have an overflowing mailbox each day when I checked it. The workers at the front desk came to know me quite well and were always curious as to how I managed to have so many friends. Thank you for making my birthday away so special! :) Unfortunately, I had class off and on from 8:30 to 5 on my birthday. In between classes I found time to open cards and indulge in a few birthday treats. I was even lucky enough to receive two 21st birthday tiaras to where during the day. (I hope this doesn't make me 42!) As my day progressed it continued to get better and better. I received some beautiful flowers from my parents which made me feel like I was very close to home. I could not believe that they were able to figure out a way to have flowers delivered in Grantham. Way to go Mom and Dad! :) I think the best part is that they have lasted all week and are still sitting so prettily on my desk as I write this. Just because I was away from home, I was not about to forgo the cake and ice cream. I bought a big chocolate cake and ice cream to share with my friends. Much to my surprise, when I finished my 5pm class my roommates told me there was something waiting for me at the front desk. Once again I returned to the reception desk to find the workers amused to see me yet again. I was so excited to find that my best friend had managed to send the prettiest cupcakes I had ever seen! Thanks Katie! :) I was so excited and could not wait to enjoy a cupcake. Later in the evening my friends and I celebrated by having cupcakes and noisemakers and wearing party hats and noise makers (thanks, Mom). The next day I had a field trip to Lincoln for my British Studies course. This town is home to some Roman ruins, Lincoln Cathedral and Lincoln Castle. I was excited for the day because I was getting to spend the day in a place that I had never been before. Unfortunately, the weather that day was freezing cold, windy and a bit misty. I had dressed warmly, or so I thought, but I still froze. Luckily, my first stop on the trip was the magnificent Lincoln Cathedral. This cathedral sports an array of medieval architecture, but my personal favorite are the flying buttresses. The cathedral is so large that it requires massive stone structures to support the building from the outside. I don't know if my fascination comes from the name or the structures themselves, but they are pretty neat. The inside of the cathedral was cool as well. The design of the inside reminded me a lot of Westminster Abbey in its cross-like shape and large screen in the center. There were a variety of small chapels within the cathedral and some were dedicated to those who have lost their lives in war. Like many other sites that I have visited, this cathedral was most interesting because of its age and ornateness. After the cathedral I went on a tour to see some of the Roman ruins. There really aren't a whole lot of ruins unfortunately, but it was interesting to see things like a well and parts of various walls. I didn't enjoy this portion of my day as much as the rest, but I attribute that to the bitter weather conditions. After enjoying a quality Harlaxton packed lunch, I explored chocolate and coffee shops on my own before heading to the castle. The castle was pretty unbelievable. One of the original four copies of Magna Carta is housed in the old prison ward of the castle. It was really awesome to see a document that is so old and means so much to the history of the United Kingdom and what it had developed into today. While the castle was an interesting tour, it was a bit creepy and somber. The Lincoln Castle was home to a prison and numerous executions. I took a brief tour of the prison and saw the chapel where church was held. The inmates were required to wear masks with only small holes to see. That chapel contained several small stalls in which each inmate would be locked. The walls of each stall were wooden and too tall to see over. The only area that each inmate could see was the elevated pulpit that hung above the stalls. I was to scared and claustrophobic to even dream of going into one of the stalls so I went up to the pulpit instead. It was a bit scary because there were some manikins with masks on placed in a few of the stalls. It was odd to look out and see what it would have looked like during the years the prison was functioning. During the remainder of the castle tour the guide took us to the various execution sites and told different stories about the individuals. After talking about the people she took us to the graveyard that is home to most, if not all, of the individuals executed at the castle. I did think that this was a rather morbid tour but it was fascinating to learn what happened to people in the olden days when they committed a small crime such as stealing a cup.

Ta Ta,
AM

To Scotland I Went!

Hello Everyone!

Sorry for the delay in posts, but my weekly routine is rather uneventful to say the least. Monday-Thursday is spent in class and doing homework. Because my campus is tucked away in a tiny town, I do not have an opportunity to explore during the week. Luckily, last weekend I had the opportunity to take a trip. I left Friday morning and headed to Edinburgh for the weekend. Knowing next to nothing about the city, I headed to the capitol with an open mind. I had received a pamphlet from Harlaxton about a few things to do in Edinburgh and some maps to help get around. I figured that with these items in hand I would be set to go for the weekend. After an eventful six hour journey by coach, I finally arrived in Scotland. It took a while longer to actually make it to the hotel, however. The coach driver seemed rather amateur and we ended up at the end of a one-way street going the wrong way. In some instances it would be fine to apologize and continue on going the wrong way, but in this case we were met with cement buttresses at the bottom of a steep hill. Again this would not have been a big deal had we been in a car, but backing up a coach uphill is a bit of a challenge. Thanks to the brilliant driver, our coach drew lots of attention. People on the sidewalks stopped to stare as if a celebrity was driving by. A police officer wearing leather pants, as only a European could, stopped traffic but not before giving the coach a dirty scowl. Needless to say, we were all a bit embarrassed and antsy to exit the coach. Once we finally arrived at the Royal British Hotel, I was so thankful to get out. With very little information about the city, I set out with some friends to do some exploring. During the day we managed to walk the perimeter of the city and gather a sense of what the culture was like. That evening, per recommendation, my friends and I went to Viva Mexico, a delicious Mexican restaurant. I know you are all thinking, "Mexican food in Scotland?!" but trust me it was wonderful. To finally have some food with flavor, contrary to the school food, was amazing! Chicken enchiladas and a strawberry margarita never tasted so good! On Saturday I woke up early for a full day of Edinburgh activities. I began the day with a rather adventurous hike. Not being a fan of the outdoors, I was a bit nervous to tackle the hill-mountain-like monster. Luckily, I had two serious hiker-friends with me to pull me along. The journey to the top was awesome! I could see for miles and that was quite astonishing. Once I finally reached the top, after scaling some vertical rocks, I felt like I had conquered the world. It was so windy and I feared falling over the edge, but I couldn't help but to sit on the edge of the cliff and snap a few photos. After this intense morning hike, I knew that this was going to be the highlight of my trip to Scotland. The rest of the day I spent journeying through the shops on The Royal Mile and taking a bus tour of the city. While the shops were fun, I quickly grew sick of everything labeled "I Love Edinburgh". After a long day of hiking and exploring, it was time for dinner yet again! In the mood for Italian, my friend and I headed to Bella Italia, a popular UK Italian chain, for some pasta. Craving the tastes of home, I decided to order lasagna. The baked pasta was good, but it definitely did not come close to something homemade. Feel free to send me some Mom! :) I woke up early Sunday to begin the long journey back to Harlaxton. Along the way we made two stops. Our first stop was to Hadrian's Wall, which was built in 122 AD. Not being much into history, this was not on my top ten list of things to see, but I must admit seeing something that old was quite impressive. This wall was initially built to separate Scotland from the barbaric people of England. What is left today would not do much to protect the Scots, but at one time this wall was quite substantial. It was interesting to see the layout of what the fort looked like and to think about the people that were there so many years ago. The second stop on the way back to school was Durham, England. This cute little town is home to an extravagant castle and cathedral. I was rather looking forward to checking out the cathedral, but much to my dismay the coach driver had a few issues again. After circling the town several times and losing thirty minutes of out two hour Durham allotment, there was only enough time to grab some lunch. After a disappointing pub lunch, I snagged some delicious ice cream and headed for the coach. The journey back to Harlaxton was another three hours, but it was a nice time to nap and reflect on the weekend. I really did enjoy the natural beauty of Scotland, but Edinburgh will not be on my list of places to visit again. While I did enjoy my time there, the city was overpopulated with tourists and tourist shops. I will try to post again soon, hopefully sooner than the last time! AM

A Brief Return to London

I had been looking forward to Thursday for a long time because I knew I was going to visit my second home. Boarding the coach to London, I was so excited for the weekend and hoped that London would be everything I remembered it to be. The city really did become like a second home to me this summer and I could not wait to go back. I was really looking forward to having a bit of familiarity in my life after a week of nothing but new surroundings and people. When I woke up Friday morning in my London hotel, I could not wait to get out into the city. As I made my way to the Tube station I had a skip in my step. I knew that I was about to be reunited with my favorite method of transportation andI had been looking forward to Thursday for quite a my treasured Oyster card. I could recite the Tube map in my sleep and I was so excited to put those skills to work and show my friends how it's done. After I scanned my Oyster card and received the approval of the beep, I knew that my journey had just begun. Keeping in mind that I was leading ten people through rush hour that had never used the Tube before, I tried to give them as much advice as possible before darting from one line to the next. The confusion and overwhelming nature of the Tube was inevitable. When we finally arrived at the Tower of London, my poor friends looked as though they had all seen a ghost. I remember all too well what my first day in London was like and I felt for them, but had to giggle at the same time. While I was excited to tour the Tower again, I was even more excited to visit one of the best kept secrets in London, my darling little monument Starbucks. I had been telling my friends all week that we HAD to go to Starbucks before the Tower, but they didn't quite understand the eagerness until they saw the little shop with their own eyes. After indulging in some Starbucks goodness, seeing the glistening Crown Jewels and another Tube journey, we headed to the famous Oxford Street to catch up on a bit of shopping, shoe shopping that is. After making a few (much needed) purchases, it was time for my friends to experience their first double-decker red bus. We jumped on the bus to head back to the Tube for another exciting journey yet again. The bus ride was quite typical, lots of honking and crazy driving, but fun nonetheless. Once the bus ride and Tube journey was over, we went to explore the London Eye, Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. It was so wonderful to be back and see all of my favorite sights. We took a nice afternoon break and sat on the wall next to the River Thames. It was awesome to enjoy the scenery of the river and all the aforementioned landmarks. London is the city of my dreams and I loved sitting there for an hour taking it all in. After a brief rest by the Thames, we headed to Westminster Abbey to attend a free Even Song service. This service is done mainly by the choir and is a great way to see the abbey free of charge. Saturday was another day filled with London fun! We tried to see the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace, but being a Saturday it was impossible to see anything with all the people there. We decided to head to Leicester Square next to buy theater tickets. We chose to see Chicago that evening and I could not wait! After getting tickets, we hopped on the Tube to head to Portobello Market. Being Saturday, there were scheduled closures on the Tube that really through our plans for a loop. Unfortunately, we were forced to backtrack and go way out of our way to get there. I was so happy that I was familiar with the system and eventually able to get to the market. Once at Portobello, I went straight to my favorite jewelry man to pay him a visit and make a few purchases. The vendor is a cute little man, probably in his seventies, from Spain and always is selling the best stuff. I can't help it but to buy something from him because he is quite funny. From the jewelry stand I leaped down the street to another favorite, the Hummingbird Bakery. I had not eaten lunch that day and I was therefore in desperate need of a Black Bottom cupcake. My eyes lit up at the sight of the pink and brown bakery sign. Both of my roommates partook in the indulgence and they are now hooked as well! After the market, it was time to get ready for dinner and the musical. We headed to the Tate Modern to enjoy a meal with a view. I enjoyed a very delicious bowl of pasta and gooseberry crumble for dessert. Aside from the yummy food, the view of St. Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge were breathtaking. After dinner, we darted to the Tube and flew through Covent Garden to the Cambridge theater. I was really excited to see Chicago because I had never seen it before. The music and acting in the show was outstanding and I enjoyed every minute of it! When I left London today I was a bit sad. I love Harlaxton and everything that comes with it, but London feels like my home when I'm in England. I know that I will be heading back shortly and I cannot wait! On the way back to the manor today, we stopped by Hampton Court Palace. This palace was the home to the infamous Henry VIII. The palace was interesting, but what I enjoyed most were the beautiful gardens. I loved looking at the flowers and walking around. Now that I am back at the manor, it is nice to be unpacked and have everything in its place. I am so happy to have Internet once again and am now looking forward to spending next weekend in Edinburgh. It is definitely time for me to hit the hay! I will try to post more later!

AM

Classes Have Begun

Classes began yesterday and boy was it crazy! I had class off and on from 8:30 in the morning to 5 at night. In between this crazy schedule I found some time to attempt homework, but not a lot of time. A presentation was assigned in my first class that was to be done in groups and due Wednesday. Needless to say, I spent a good portion of the day reading up on William the Conqueror and the Norman invasion of England. This type of course work is not what I am used to, nor is it what I am particularly interested in. I anticipate this course to get better and I know it should because the entire school is taking it. Two of my other courses are communications courses. I feel a bit more at home in these courses with paper assignments and communications-based presentation topics. My fourth class is a marketing class. I think I am really going to enjoy the nature of this class because it is very practical. Devising marketing plans, giving presentations on a communication topic and even learning some British ways of doing things sounds quite interesting to me. I am looking forward to digging deeper into the semester, but getting started is always a bit of a rocky road. Speaking of, I really miss American ice cream. The food here is, well, slightly less than desirable. I have yet to enjoy good ice cream, but I know for a fact that I can find some in London this weekend. I am thinking that Harrod's gelato shop will definitely be in order. Tomorrow I have a bit of an easier day seeing that my afternoon is open. I can definitely put that time to good use, seeing as though the homework is beginning to pile up. I promise in the next few days (Sunday possibly) to have pictures that are a bit more exciting that books. It is hard to find time to go outside and explore when I am either in class or studying. Because my dorm, dining hall and classes are all in the same building I have to make a special trip to go outside. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to make it outside and get some fresh air! I am off to bed!

AM

The Last Day of Summer Break

Classes begin tomorrow and I have mixed feelings on that issue. While I am excited to start the new semester, I only ended my 18 credit summer semester less than a month ago. I am looking forward to both communications courses and my marketing course. The group of professors at Harlaxton seem to be a good bunch. The main aspect of my studies here at the manor, British Studies, is said to be the most intense and time consuming course. Because it is worth 6 credits, there is a lot of work to be done. I do however think that I lucked out with the professor that I have because she seems like a lot of fun. Only time will tell, but I should have a good grasp on things after tomorrow. Aside from anticipating the arrival of my final undergraduate fall semester, today was filled with more exploration. After having brunch, my new friends and I set out to take some pictures. When we arrived outside we were met with crazy amounts of wind and brisk cool air. (keep that in mind when viewing the photos) When the photo shoot had ended, we returned to my room to plan our school trip to London. Thursday evening, all who are interested, will head to London for the weekend. Once we arrive, we are free to do as we please. I was excited to talk to my friends and tell them about all the wonderful places to visit. I am confident that we put together a wonderful itinerary and I will be sure to share all about the trip next week. This evening after dinner we had a relaxing night just watching a movie. I'd better rest up to prepare for tomorrow!

Cheers!
AM

Harlaxton Manor

After hours of traveling by car, plane and coach, I have finally arrived at the beautiful Harlaxton Manor. This beautiful castle-like manor will serve as my school and home for the next four months. Once my coach reached the grand entrance of the manor, we were all greeted by the principal of the college. Upon entering this grand mansion, we were shuttled to a beautiful room to pick up our room assignment and orientation packet. I immediately tore into my packet and found that I was assigned a large corner room in the manor. After enjoying a delicious baguette sandwich for lunch, I began the journey to my room. I climbed several flights of stairs, walked through multiple doors and down various hallways to finally end up at my door. When I unlocked my door and walked in I was blown away by the size of my room. After living in close quarters this summer, with five other girls, I could not believe my eyes when I walked into a huge room that I only share with two others. Included in my princess suite is a couch, a large vanity and a beautiful view of the manor. The weather here has been so wonderful thus far. A high of 65 with a sunny sky is close to perfect weather for me! Today I began the day with a welcoming convocation in a beautiful room called the Long Gallery. After convocation, I had to attend two hours of basic orientation and I felt like I was attending freshman orientation all over again. In the afternoon, I made my way to the nearby town of Grantham to buy some necessities. After exploring the town for a few hours, I headed back to the manor to get ready for the Principal's High Table Dinner. This dinner was a fancy occasion and modeled after traditional meals at Oxford and Cambridge. Having been to a real high table dinner at Oxford University, I must say my experience at tonight's meal was a bit different. The differences were not necessarily a bad thing because this dinner was much more comfortable than the Oxford meal. When I ate at Oxford it was very strict and I feared I would mess up. Once dinner had ended and all the faculty had been introduced, all 130 students were free for the evening. Because I have been so blessed to have the large princess sweet, my room has become the hang out. Tonight was fun just hanging out with new friends in my room and even doing a bit more exploring around the manor. So far I have found a few hidden spiral staircases and several moving walls, but the adventure has only just begun! As for now, I am in desperate need of sleep!

More tomorrow!
AM

Back to England I Go!

Today is the day! I am leaving shortly to head to the airport to begin my semester's journey abroad. While I did spend three weeks in London this summer, this adventure is going to be considerably different. For starters, I will not be in London. I will spend my fall semester at Harlaxton College, which is actually over an hour north of the city. During my stay, I will be taking courses and embarking on a variety of trips both around England and visiting some of the surrounding countries. I will update my blog whenever I have something exciting to share, but I don't think my daily life will contain near the excitement that it did in London. (sorry to disappoint!)

For now, I am off to Chicago where my journey begins! I'll be back later to post about my travel adventures.

Cheers!
AM

The Journey's End

Early Saturday morning I woke up and headed to the Victoria Coach station. I had purchased a ticket for the 8 am coach to London Heathrow Airport. When my coach arrived I was very sad to leave. As I made my last journey driving through the city, it was hard to see all the buildings pass me by. When the coach reached Heathrow, I was dropped off at the coach station. After walking around a bit and reading a few signs, I finally found the lift to take me to the Express Train to reach my appropriate terminal. By this point I was rather exhausted from hauling my suitcase and two over-sized, overweight carry-on bags. I wanted nothing more than to hire a personal assistant to save me the hassle of hauling my junk, but I carried on about my business all by myself. It was just after 9 am when I arrived at the Delta ticket counter, but much to my dismay there was already an insanely long line. I printed my boarding pass from the self-check in kiosk and unfortunately still had to wait in line to drop off my bag. After waiting for about 30 minutes, what seemed like hours, I made my way to security. Like usual, the scanner beeped when I walked through and I had to undergo the embarrassing wand check. I'm not sure whether its my jewelry or bad luck, but I can't seem to pass through a metal detector without sounding the alarm. Little did I know, sounding the buzzer was soon going to feel like a minute problem. As I waited by the conveyor belt for my items to come through the tunnel, a woman came and stood next to me to wait for her items. Not a minute later both bags and the bin with my laptop came out of the tunnel. I immediately began to grab my items and my not-so-friendly neighbor lady grabbed my laptop. I could not believe my eyes and quickly put my bags down to take my computer from the woman. At the same time as I began to loudly say, "Umm excuse me THAT IS MINE," the security officer came over to the woman to inform her that some of her items had not properly passed the security inspection. Luckily, my less than desirable neighbor lady let go of my laptop and walked away with the security officer. I hate to jump to conclusions, maybe the woman thought the computer belonged to her travel partner, her son, but I was not about to wait around for the woman to realize her mistake. I was nervous that this incident would set the tone for the rest of the day's events. Luckily, as soon as I boarded my flight everything seemed to get better. The most exciting event of the day happened shortly after I sat down on the plane. As Katie and I sat next to the right wing minding our own business, a flight attendant approached us with a very interesting opportunity. He quickly asked us if the two of us would like to see the cockpit. We eagerly said yes and headed to the front of the plane. When we arrived at the cockpit the flight attendant introduced us to all three pilots and let us step inside. The pilots couldn't have been more friendly and were eager to tell us all about the space. They let each of us sit in the front seat and take a picture wearing the captain's hat. It was a really awesome experience getting to see a space that not many are allowed in. I still do not know what provoked the flight attendant to approach Katie and me, but whatever it was I am glad that he did. The remainder of the flight to Atlanta was uneventful but relaxing. Arriving at Atlanta and going through customs went quite smoothly as well. As the time grew near for my flight to leave for St. Louis, the departure time began to be pushed back later and later. After a delay of over an hour my flight finally left for St. Louis. I was able to take a short snooze on the flight before landing in St. Louis around midnight.

Since my arrival back in the States, I have enjoyed a few things that I have not had during the last three weeks. Air conditioning, a dishwasher and strong water pressure in the shower are just a few things that I missed. That being said, I survived just fine in London without these details and didn't really even know that I missed them until I was exposed to them again. During the last three days I have been trying to adjust to the six hour time difference, spend time with my family and give myself some time to unwind and reflect on the last three weeks. Being home makes me realize even more the great time that I had in London and makes me even more eager to head back.

AM

The Best End to the Most Wonderful Trip

Sadly, today was my last in London. I knew that I wanted to make the most of today, so I woke up early to do so. First on today's agenda was the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. Because I am practically neighbors with the Queen, I was able to take a nice stroll down to the palace this morning. As I waited for the changing of the guards, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I figured that there would be a lot of men in red coats with big furry hats, but I didn't know much else. Before too long, I began to hear music and soon saw some guards appear. They came in playing music and all marching together. It was quite a sight to see rows and rows of guards doing exactly the same thing. As the show progressed more and more guards appeared. Horses even made appearances from time to time. Toward the end of the show two guards wearing slightly more prestigious outfits came walking directly at me. I was so excited because I was thinking that I would be able to get good pictures of the guards. As they got closer I realized that one guard was quite young and looked friendly. The two men stopped walking when they were about 10 feet away from me and began to ask how my day was going. I started to converse with the guard and told him that I liked his fuzzy hat. He told me that it was a bit hot, but had been wearing it since 1812 when they defeated the French. I was so tickled to have had the privilege of talking to one of the guards. I know that most people try to get the guards to laugh or something and this guard just walked up and started talking. I was lucky enough to capture this whole thing on video, but unfortunately it was too long to post. I will be happy to share the video with everyone when I return home. To end this wonderful day, Katie and I had planned a nice dinner on the River Thames. I made reservations earlier in the week for the seventh floor of the Tate Modern art museum. This museum sits right on the river and the view from the restaurant is unbelievable. I had been looking forward to this meal for quite some time now. Katie and I tried not to eat out much at all during the last three weeks so that we could splurge on a nice dinner tonight. It was a bit strange heading to dinner knowing that it was the last time I was going to ride the Tube for over a month. The last Tube ride was eventful at least. There was a track fire on one of the outlying tracks which caused trains to back up. Luckily, we had left plenty of time and we made it to the Tate on time. We were seated next to the wall of windows showcasing the River Thames and the beautiful city of London. We couldn't have picked a better place to eat for our last night here. For dinner there was a special that included an entree and a dessert. I selected the steak and pommes frites for my entree and a chocolate marquise for dessert. It was so nice to have someone else cook a meal for me. I love to cook and have enjoyed cooking for myself the last three weeks, but it was nice to get a break. It was also the first time I had eaten beef since I arrived in London and it was definitely a good choice. After dinner, I walked back across the Millennium Bridge toward the bus stop. I could not help but to take a few last minute photos of the gorgeous city. As I waited for the bus, I was thinking about how much I love this city and what an amazing time I have had. London really feels like home now and I could totally love living here in the future. Knowing that I will be back to England in a short seven weeks makes me very happy, but I still am not ready to leave. I have never enjoyed a trip as much as this or not been ready to head home at the end. This trip has definitely been far different from others that I have taken. I have learned so much about myself about how I handle different situations, adjust to a new culture and even about landmarks and businesses. Even though I was only in London for three weeks, I know that I saw and did as much as I possibly could have done. I cannot wait to return to this country in August because I know the amazing experiences will only continue to grow and broaden. Thanks for following me. Check back throughout the next week. :)

AM

Advertising and Brighton

I had been looking forward to this day for quite some time now. I knew that I was going to Euro RSCG London, which is one of the top five advertising agencies in the United Kingdom. With my major being public relations I also have a great interest in advertising. When I arrived at Euro I was met with an impressive array of pastries, fruit and coffee. As the group began to enjoy breakfast, we were all introduced to Mr. Russ Lidstone, CEO. During Mr. Lidstone's presentation he told us about some of Euro RSCG's clients which include the companies Evian, Chivas Regal, Dulux and Reckitt Benkieser to name a few. I must admit this is quite an impressive portfolio to have and I knew at that point that this was going to be an awesome day. Mr. Lidstone continued to share with the group the vision of Euro RSCG London. He stated the vision is to "get clients through the door to talk to them". Quite confident in the capabilities of EURO, Mr. Lidstone shared his belief that if a client comes through the door Euro RSCG will be able to gain the business. I was very impressed to find out the active role that Euro RSCG plays in the community. Mr. Lidstone shared the efforts that Euro had made to aid the Copenhagen Climate Crisis and I was pleased to see an ad agency taking such an active role to help those in need. Little did I know, this was only a small portion of the community work that Euro RSCG does, but I'll share more about that later. After Mr. Lidstone's presentation, Ms. Rebecca Moody, Senior Planner, gave a presentation on the importance and the process of strategic planning. Ms. Moody shared that there are two clear roles in planning, the brand and the channel. She said that it is very important to define a compelling idea and to determine the reactions the consumer will have at various steps of using the product being advertised. Ms. Moody shared that the best way to understand people and effectively plan is to be a good people watcher. She told us that being in tune with those around us and observing others can really pay off in the long run. The next presenter, Ms. Devanshi Asher, Account Director, shared a second way in which Euro RSCG is reaching out to the community. The program that Ms. Asher has been working on is called Green Britain Day. This day is associated with EDF Energy and its push for sustainable energy. Green Britain Day is all about making people more aware of energy consumption and working to use it more wisely. Some very clever ads have been created to publicize this day, but instead of just putting up ads about the day, Euro created five phases to create a successful campaign. Phase one was to "tease the day" which included a commercial with the company and the date of Green Britain Day. Phase two was "launch the day" which consisted of a :60 TV commercial made of 100% recycled video footage showcasing what the day was about. Phase three was "showcase the action" which was the call to action for the community to make "greener" choices. Phase four was "celebrate the day" which included activities around England for people to participate in. The fifth and final phase was "maintain relationships". Euro RSCG realized that to have this successful campaign continue, the relationships created must be maintained and new ones created. I thought this was a great way for a the agency to get involved with the community and I also thought the ads were great too. The next presentation was given by Mr. Mick Mahoney, Executive Creative Director. During this time the group was divided into two and each given the task of coming up with a creative commercial idea for Chivas Regal. The information given to us was the the commercial needed to be about having a designated driver. Each group did a great job of developing a couple of ideas to fit the required mold. I am proud to say that my group's idea was the favorite. :) After playing around with commercial ideas, it was time to meet the next presenters. Ms. Jess Tarpey, Account Manager and Mr. Ken Mulligan, Account Director, came in to share the amazing story of the Dulux project. Dulux is one of the top name brand paint companies here in the UK. Glidden paint in the US is actually owned by Dulux. Getting the business from Dulux was a very important job for Euro RSCG because it is such a popular and recognized company in the UK. For the last six months the people at Euro RSCG have been working on the "Let's Color" campaign. This is an absolutely phenomenal campaign that sends people and gathers volunteers to go around to different countries in areas of low socieoeconomic conditions and paint bright colors on the buildings to liven up the cities. These bright colors are used because color makes such an impact on the mood of an individual. It is thought that if color can be brought into a dark gray place that would otherwise be quite undesirable, then those living in the area will enjoy themselves much more. I provided the ad that was created from this project. I think that it is an awesome ad that shows how much a little bit of hard work can do. To wrap up the wonderful trip to Euro RSCG, we were served a delicious lunch spread. My visit to the agency was far more than enjoyable, it was amazing and thought provoking. It was so refreshing to see a company so focused on helping out the community. A company that has this much involvement in helping people is definitely the type of company that I would like to work for in the future. I am so glad that this visit was saved for the end because it was a wonderful grand finale.

Fast forwarding a few hours....

To make my London journey complete I decided to take a train down to Brighton, England. I knew that Brighton had a beach on the Atlantic ocean but that was about all I knew. When I was on the train I didn't know what to expect, but I was so excited to see the ocean. The town turned out to be very cute with tall hills and winding roads. Brighton reminded me of a coastal town from the U.S. with a cute boardwalk and a variety of shops. I made my way to the beach and enjoyed the breeze for a few hours. It was the perfect relaxing way to end my journey in the busy town of London. The beach in Brighton was different from any beach I have ever visited, it was a pebble beach. Surprisingly, these rocks were quite comfortable to lay on. It was almost like getting a free back =massage by laying on the rocks. I couldn't go to the beach and not put my toes in the water, but I knew it was going to be quite cold. The ocean felt like a giant glass of ice water washing up on my toes. Some people were actually swimming in the ocean, but I was not brave enough to do so. After spending some time on the beach, I explored the town, grabbed a sandwich and headed back to the station to grab my train. It was such a fun journey to the beach and I was sad to see it come to an end. Brighton will definitely be a place that I will visit again. :)

AM